Helping professionals are called to aid individuals and communities in times of tragedy or disaster. Effective intervention and treatment often hinge on augmenting the natural resilience of those affected by adverse situations. But what is resilience? How can practitioners recognize, foster, and celebrate resilience in the people that they serve?

Resilience in Action: An Information and Practice Guide examines the methods, practices, and protocols of the resilience ecological stress model (RESM). A metatheory grounded in ecological systems, RESM can be used to help individuals, families, and communities regain the ability to function after calamitous events. In this book, Roberta R. Greene and Nicole Dubus demonstrate how to apply RESM’s framework with a variety of different service users, including those battling a chronic disease, navigating workplace violence, or coping with the aftereffects of an earthquake. The book also discusses how to take a resilient approach to work with refugees, adolescent students, military families, individuals belonging to minority groups, people with disabilities, and the elderly.

Real-life case studies throughout the text further illustrate the components and implementation of RESM. These examples involve individuals who have assisted with or experienced the Oklahoma City bombing, Hurricane Katrina, and other disasters. With its practical tips and situation-specific toolboxes, this book is a must-read for practitioners on the frontlines of adversity.